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Garza Shows Toughness With Straight Sets Win

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By CHRIS ERRINGTON

Tribune correspondent

Published: May 19, 2008

TAMPA - Daniel Garza never wavered and never panicked Sunday. Not when he trailed 3-0 or had to erase a trio of set points against him. Once he finally did win the first set, he never let Marcus Fugate back into the match.

Garza ran a fatigued Fugate from sideline to sideline and took advantage of a multitude of unforced errors to earn a 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 victory in the 2008 Men's Clay Court Championships at the Harbour Island Athletic Club & Spa.

Garza won $1,300 of the $10,000 purse for capturing the USTA pro circuit victory. Fugate pocketed $900.

"It was a tough match and at the start I didn't play very good, but I really like playing on clay. It's where I feel comfortable," Garza said.

Despite the early deficit, Garza was no surprise winner.

Garza, the tournament's No. 4 seed, lost just seven games in three matches before needing to win a tiebreaker in the semifinals to reach Sunday's championship. Fugate, the No. 7 seed, was nearly as impressive, dropping just one set while topping the tournament's No. 2 and 3 seeds.

Sunday, Fugate said dehydration and playing six consecutive weeks on the road, finally took their toll.

"I've been playing a lot of tennis and after he won the first set, I hit a wall," Fugate said. "All the credit goes to him, because I didn't execute and he capitalized on all of his opportunities."

Garza won three straight games, including a break of Fugate, to tie the first set at 3-3, before Fugate failed on three set points, including a 15-40 advantage while leading 6-5. Garza went on to win that game and the set in an easy tiebreaker, before taking a 4-1 lead in the second set. The match ended in fitting fashion, with Garza leading 5-2 and 40-15, when a Fugate forehand sailed wide for another unforced error.

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